The Academy[2013-2014]

[Nightsoil]

Those ages have to be wrong - all the guys who played in the JWC will be 20 at most, all the guys who played Ulster U20s this year/will be eligible for Ireland U20 next year will be 19 at most. Murphy was 2012 JWC, so can only be 21 etc.etc.

As for Joyce, think this is his third year in the academy but nothing for him to be worrying about, you'd think if he's continuing to improve they'll give him a development contract. Regularly making the Ravens with a few senior appearances is pretty good going for a 20 year old back row.

[Lurgan Lad]

Load of Ulster players in the squad to play Australia schools, although in my mind there is always a bit of politics in the squad chosen based on the coach, or where the team is playing. Good news all the same.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/30284.php

[Bayern]

a lot of methody lads there:

1. Michael Lagan (Methodist College)
2. Stephen Weir (Methodist College)
5: Alex Thompson (Methodist College)
6: Ross Todd (Sullivan Upper School)
8. James Gallagher (Ballymena RFC) - former Methody.
8. Lorcan Dow (Queen's University) - former exile
9. Conor Young (Instonians RFC)
11: Jack Owens (Campbell College)
12: Conor McKee (Methodist College)

[jamsodonnell]

Load of Ulster players in the squad to play Australia schools, although in my mind there is always a bit of politics in the squad chosen based on the coach, or where the team is playing. Good news all the same.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/30284.php

As the Head Coach is from Leinster and the assistant is from Connacht, I dont quite see where your "bit of politics " is relevant. Last year, Leinster Schools beat Ulster by 60 odd points. Unless you know of better players who have been left out of this squad (and please give us their names and Provinces), I would be very reluctant to go down the bias road. Rather, I would give credit to the amazing work being done by Allen Clarke and the other professional staff. And in case you didnt know, Ulster won the U19 Championship this year.

[Kofi Annan]

Load of Ulster players in the squad to play Australia schools, although in my mind there is always a bit of politics in the squad chosen based on the coach, or where the team is playing. Good news all the same.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/30284.php

As the Head Coach is from Leinster and the assistant is from Connacht, I dont quite see where your "bit of politics " is relevant. Last year, Leinster Schools beat Ulster by 60 odd points. Unless you know of better players who have been left out of this squad (and please give us their names and Provinces), I would be very reluctant to go down the bias road. Rather, I would give credit to the amazing work being done by Allen Clarke and the other professional staff. And in case you didnt know, Ulster won the U19 Championship this year.

I believe the gap between Leinster and Ulster age grade is closing,

[Bayern]

Load of Ulster players in the squad to play Australia schools, although in my mind there is always a bit of politics in the squad chosen based on the coach, or where the team is playing. Good news all the same.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/30284.php

As the Head Coach is from Leinster and the assistant is from Connacht, I dont quite see where your "bit of politics " is relevant. Last year, Leinster Schools beat Ulster by 60 odd points. Unless you know of better players who have been left out of this squad (and please give us their names and Provinces), I would be very reluctant to go down the bias road. Rather, I would give credit to the amazing work being done by Allen Clarke and the other professional staff. And in case you didnt know, Ulster won the U19 Championship this year.

Who won the u19 championship this year has very little to do with this squad because the majority of that squad above played u20 this season.

Dow, Bingham, Thompson, Lagan, Young and Mckee played 20s for Ulster.
Byrne, Ringrose, Murphy, Heffernan and Dardis played 20s for Leinster.
Moloney played 20s for Connacht.

O'Connor and Owens missed the interpros with injury.

Leaving Todd, Weir and Gallagher who played 19s for Ulster and are in this squad.
Leinster only have one player who played 19s and made this squad, Loughman.
Munster have 4.
Connacht have 2.

[rumncoke]

Like most teams underage sometimes results reflect the weaknesses of opposition rather than their strengths politics in underage is small p with selections being based more on the location of the game than anything else the support is mostly parental and school friends and it provides a motivational base for the players.

That said the selectors still want to provide a team which can perform and have been selected on merit.

[Leonidas]

Great to see that 9 of the 25 strong u19 Ireland squad are from Ulster, gotta be good news for the future.

There was a young giant discussed recently from Ballymoney i think (6'10). Does anyone know if he is involved in the set up or is he maybe still underage level?

[Lurgan Lad]

Load of Ulster players in the squad to play Australia schools, although in my mind there is always a bit of politics in the squad chosen based on the coach, or where the team is playing. Good news all the same.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/30284.php

As the Head Coach is from Leinster and the assistant is from Connacht, I dont quite see where your "bit of politics " is relevant. Last year, Leinster Schools beat Ulster by 60 odd points. Unless you know of better players who have been left out of this squad (and please give us their names and Provinces), I would be very reluctant to go down the bias road. Rather, I would give credit to the amazing work being done by Allen Clarke and the other professional staff. And in case you didnt know, Ulster won the U19 Championship this year.

Goodness I thought I was quite clear above, I don't think the best players are always chosen at this level, that there is usually a degree of bias based on the coaches and/or where they are playing. This is the first Irish game at Ravenhill in a good while, is there any chance that impacted on us having so many in the squad? I don't follow the age grade rugby to much of a degree, but the above is still my opinion regardless of who won what. If the game was at Thomond I would expect at times that if there are two players of relatively similar ability that they would go with the Munster lad.

[Leonidas]

Great to see that 9 of the 25 strong u19 Ireland squad are from Ulster, gotta be good news for the future.

There was a young giant discussed recently from Ballymoney i think (6'10). Does anyone know if he is involved in the set up or is he maybe still underage level?

Russell Blair is the boy I was thinking of, capped at under20 level, wasn't able to find any reference of his height so don't know if I exagerated that but I recall he was A tall lad.

[Bayern]

Blair has disappeared off the radar since he broke his leg awhile back..

didn't play in the u20 interpros this year and wasn't involved with Ireland u19 last year.

Hasn't been capped at u20 level, he was a hotly tipped prospect to be involved with Ireland u20 this year but that doesn't look likely anymore.

[RuPi]

a lot of methody lads there:

1. Michael Lagan (Methodist College)
2. Stephen Weir (Methodist College)
5: Alex Thompson (Methodist College)
6: Ross Todd (Sullivan Upper School)
8. James Gallagher (Ballymena RFC) - former Methody.
8. Lorcan Dow (Queen's University) - former exile
9. Conor Young (Instonians RFC)
11: Jack Owens (Campbell College)
12: Conor McKee (Methodist College)

Josh Bingham is in the squad as well.

[Leonidas]

Blair has disappeared off the radar since he broke his leg awhile back..

didn't play in the u20 interpros this year and wasn't involved with Ireland u19 last year.

Hasn't been capped at u20 level, he was a hotly tipped prospect to be involved with Ireland u20 this year but that doesn't look likely anymore.

I stand corrected bayern google says he was capped at u18 (club) level, is he really that tall do you know or have I mixed him up with someone else?

[Bayern]

Blair has disappeared off the radar since he broke his leg awhile back..

didn't play in the u20 interpros this year and wasn't involved with Ireland u19 last year.

Hasn't been capped at u20 level, he was a hotly tipped prospect to be involved with Ireland u20 this year but that doesn't look likely anymore.

I stand corrected bayern google says he was capped at u18 (club) level, is he really that tall do you know or have I mixed him up with someone else?

He was capped at u18 level alright, then he broke his leg and hasn't been seen since afaik.

Heard he was over 200cm anyway.. not Toner tall though.. around 6'8

[Ithryn]

His leg is healed, he was up at Ravenhill the other day getting assessed in the new gym I believe, maybe an academy tryout?

He is well rated but he had a horrific leg break